It's no secret how Jedd Fisch wants to build a successful program at Washington. The third-year head coach has made it a point this season to share his approach to building a competitive roster: recruit elite high school talent, develop and retain that talent, and ultimately produce players capable of playing at the NFL level. While that strategy takes time, the pressure to perform entering 2027 suggests a look into the transfer portal may not be so bad after all.
Looking ahead, Washington's offense has major adjustments to make. Starting along the offensive line, fifth-year tackle Drew Azzopardi and seventh-year guard Geirean Hatchett will be gone, leaving behind a combined 12 years of starting experience. In the backfield, the running back room
is inexperienced and plagued by injuries. As for the quarterback position, Demond Williams Jr. is now draft-eligible, leaving major uncertainty about who will be operating the Husky offense in 2027.
Taking into consideration that UW ranks No. 84 in the nation in points per game and near-last in rushing yards per game, the burden placed on the offensive-minded head coach only amplifies.
Although there will be holes to fill, there is a plethora of young talent set to come back next season. Highlighting the promising core is a pair of freshmen: running back Brian Bonner Jr. and left tackle Kodi Greene, along with standout sophomore receivers Dezmen Roebuck and Chris Lawson. With the elite playmaking abilities on the outside, the luxury of adding a few plug-and-play pieces could prove to be a major boost in all facets of the offense.
Now, do Fisch and company need to go out and bring in an abundance of players out of the portal? Absolutely not. There are plenty of young and experienced players with remaining eligibility, but as this year has proven, you never know how bad the injury bug is going to bite. But even with the expectation that the running back room will return to full force and the offensive line will continue to mature and develop, all of that can change in the matter of a phone call in this day and age of college football.
As for the future at quarterback, things got a little blurry following the recent decommitment of 2027 four-star Blake Roskopf. The Huskies have pivoted quickly, however, as they hosted a legacy recruit in four-star 2028 prospect Titus Huard, the son of former UW gunslinger Brock Huard. If Williams were to declare for the draft or potentially explore the portal, the only remaining player in the room with starting experience is current backup, Elijah Brown.
Assuming that the Huskies can retain the core of their team, next year is projected to be a "win-now" season. With that being said, if Fisch and company decide to turn to replacements that have little to no experience playing Power Four football, Washington could wind up in a very similar circumstance to where it is right now.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Using the Transfer Portal Could Go A Long Way For Washington in 2027
